


1.03: Makeover

by JustLikeTheSong



Series: NYC Spin-Off 'Verse [4]
Category: Glee
Genre: Drama, F/F, F/M, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2017-11-26 05:18:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/646994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLikeTheSong/pseuds/JustLikeTheSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(1) Kurt begins his internship at Vogue, and Rachel's insecurities prompt her to get a makeover. </p><p>(2) While Brittany keeps her updated on her run for president at McKinley, Santana wonders if the NYU cheer team is really where she belongs</p><p>(3) Rachel's makeover brings her and Brody closer together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Stole My Thunder

When [Kurt](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_meujc23MIs1qilqg8.png) came home from his first day at Vogue, practically floating on a cloud, he couldn't wait to tell Blaine, Rachel, and Santana (but mostly Blaine) all about how he and his boss were getting along so well that he, a lowly intern, was already sharing confidences and advice with the esteemed Isabelle Wright.

“I had an amazing day,” he called, throwing open the door and spreading his arms, only to drop them when he saw [Rachel](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_meujcdDOn81qilqg8.png) cuddled into [Blaine’s](http://25.media.tumblr.com/57cb4a7176179879564ac8aefe47b590/tumblr_maerr6yDyp1qeds6ko1_r1_500.jpg) side on the couch with a hurt expression on her face and [Santana](http://media.tumblr.com/1c72f6c9b8bb25658b37b3fb9dcf6d74/tumblr_inline_mqje78gug01qz4rgp.png) sitting cross-legged on the recliner, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, Kurt,” Rachel greeted him with a strained smile, “that’s fantastic.  Why don’t you tell us all about it?”

“What’s going on?” Kurt asked, setting his keys down and walking to the couch so he could sit on Rachel’s other side.

“What’s going on is Berry went through four years of mockery and slushees at McKinley and still stuck with her hideous animal sweaters and cutesy dresses, but now a couple snobby ballerinas in her dance class talked trash about her leotard or something and the solution is apparently to dress like the world’s most boring person,” Santana said with a nod at Rachel’s current attire.

Kurt glanced down at her black turtleneck and tweed skirt.  “It does seem to be lacking the usual Rachel Berry…flair.”

“With the way Cassandra is always criticizing me, I really don’t need any excuses for my classmates not to take me seriously,” Rachel said glumly, picking invisible lint off her skirt, “and if my dance attire is out-dated, then I don’t even want to know what people are thinking when they see me in my regular outfits in my acting and singing and theory courses!”

“Rachel, there’s nothing wrong with the way you dress,” Blaine said, “those girls just don’t understand the concept of a signature style.”  He wiggled his bow tie for emphasis.

“Yeah, I don’t get why none of my hilarious zingers could convince you to abandon your dorky style, but a couple cows with sticks up their asses laugh at you and you’re throwing in the towel?”  Santana glared at Rachel.  “I don’t know whether to be disappointed or insulted.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to update your look,” Kurt mused, thinking back on his day at the Vogue offices, and how everyone was preparing for the debuts of various Spring/Summer 2013 collections, “fashion is ever evolving, after all.”

It wasn't until after Blaine and Santana had gone to bed, long after Kurt filled them in on the details of his first day on the job, and he and Rachel are still up, whispering together over a snack of hummus and pita bread, that he got an idea.

A crazy idea that could get him fired, or help both Rachel and himself out.

***

Sneaking into the NYADA offices was unnervingly easy, and Kurt was simultaneously waiting for the other shoe to drop and trying to reign in an excited Rachel as she ran through the halls.

The other shoe did indeed drop just as they’d made it to the Closet, and Kurt cringed when he heard someone yell “FREEZE!” behind him.  He and Rachel whirled around to face [Isabelle](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120921123223/glee/images/8/86/Tumblr_mao56rShgz1qg25zco1_500.jpg), flanked by two security guards.  Kurt felt his insides turn to ice at the look of shock on Isabelle’s face.

“Kurt?  What are you doing?” Her eyes flickered over to Rachel, and the two of them started speaking at the same time, scrambling to explain about makeovers and music videos and fresh new perspectives.  Isabelle held up a hand.

“Oh God,” Kurt whispered, “am I fired?”

“That’s enough,” Isabelle said.  Then she smiled.  “You had me…at makeover.”

Soon, the camera was set up, and if Kurt thought Isabelle was perfection before, now he knew it for sure when she started to [sing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi8fmdu33tI).

“ _Someday, when I’m awfully low…_ ”

The three of them danced around the room, styling Rachel’s hair and doing her make up into something glamorous, twirling around with various dresses and slipping into couture. 

The fact that he managed to pull this off, combined with the elated look on Rachel’s face and Isabelle’s approving smile, left Kurt on such a high that he had to resist the urge to bounce on the bed and wake Blaine up when he gets home in the wee hours of the morning.

***

Kurt spent the next week alternating between intense nervousness and incredible excitement, going over the details of the video shoot with Blaine and Rachel again and again while Santana filed her nails and tried to judge them, before grudgingly admitting the whole situation is pretty cool.  Kurt encouraged Rachel to use the five pieces Isabelle gave her from the Closet as payment for her help (Kurt decided Isabelle didn’t need to know Rachel would jump at any chance to perform, paid or not) as inspiration for updating her wardrobe.  He let her go out on her own to shop, hoping it would re-instill a sense of confidence about her style choices.  Meanwhile, his own outfit choices were getting more meticulous with each day as he both worried about and anticipated the news on his music video idea.

It was two weeks later when [Isabelle](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--bX5Bg0EXY4/UIpXwgMzNOI/AAAAAAAAABc/-EM3YeowasY/s320/Screen+shot+2012-10-26+at+5.28.16+PM.png) finally showed [him](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb2hvzAxJ41qbbzmio1_500.jpg) the finished product edited by their media team and then asked him to sit down before showing him an email from the goddess Anna Wintour herself.

 _Great,_ He thought as he wobbled his way back to his desk.  The word repeated in his head over and over.   _Great great great great._   Anna Wintour thought his idea was great.  The first thing he did was let his knees give out as he collapsed into his chair and, heart beating rapidly, texted Blaine with shaky fingers.

_Anna Wintour thinks I’m greeat._

He quickly sent another to clarify:   _The music video.  She thinks the music video idea is great and I’m about to hyperventilate!!!!_

Thirty seconds later, he got a reply:  **That’s awesome babe! I’m taking you out for dinner right after school/work!  Take some deep breaths <3**

Kurt smiled and bit his lip, looking up to see [Chase](http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v3/552299085/high_class_fancy_bright_color_mens_suit.jpg), one of Isabelle’s employees, giving him a thumbs up.  He grinned and typed out his reply.

_Can’t wait <3_

***

That evening, he and [Blaine](http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33300000/Darren-Criss-Kids-Inaugural-Concert-2013-darren-criss-33368796-1024-1593.jpg) had dinner at a Vietnamese place still in their price range that Isabelle had recommended.  Kurt showed Blaine the polished music video on his iPhone and beamed with pride at Blaine’s enthusiastic praise.

“Kurt, this is incredible!  It looks so professional, and Rachel looks so gorgeous.  I bet Isabelle Wright has started to figure out just how much she lucked out in her choice of intern.”

Kurt smiled and blushed and leaned over to kiss Blaine, tasting the sauce of Blaine’s dish on his lips.

“I just…I can’t believe this internship is working out so well.  I’m almost afraid…things just never come easily to me like this-“

“It’s not coming easily,” Blaine insisted, covering Kurt’s hand with his own, “you are earning this with your creativity and risk-taking and hard work.  I’m so, so proud of you.”

Kurt snuggled closer to Blaine.  “I feel like I’m weightless.  It’s a good thing you’re here to anchor me or I might fly off into the sun.  Or maybe go crazy from so much success and try to take over Vogue.”

Blaine laughed.  “I bet you could.  Actually, I bet you will one day, if you want to.  Just promise to name a clothing line after me when you make it big.”

“Only if you promise to promote my designs when you walk all the red carpets in your future,” Kurt said with a sly smile, and earned a kiss against his temple.

They entered their loft hand-in-hand an hour later, Kurt telling Blaine that he couldn't wait to celebrate with Rachel and Santana, and walked in on a very awkward scene: 

[Brody](http://media.tumblr.com/f2a672960ef66677138bebb98075dd33/tumblr_inline_mqjeqgCpuv1qz4rgp.png) was sliding his shoes on, lipstick smeared on his face.  [Rachel](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9bq6sXLGO1qeds6ko1_r2_500.jpg) was standing in front of a picnic laid out on the floor, wearing a new outfit and heavy make-up, her lips swollen from kissing.  And [Finn](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb5y831wwY1qi0dexo1_400.gif) stood between them, knuckles white around the strap of his backpack as he stared at the floor with determination.

“Oh…boy,” Blaine said.

Kurt leaned over and whispered in his ear:  “I should really stop being surprised when Rachel steals my thunder.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:
> 
> The Way You Look Tonight/You're Never Fully Dressed (Swing Time/Annie) by Isabelle, Kurt, and Rachel


	2. Cotton-Polyester Blend

“…and I thought about asking Artie to be my vice president, which is a new position Coach Sylvester invented, but then I decided to ask Tina, because she’s super smart and talks about feminism a lot.  And she agreed!  But then Artie decided to run with Sam, so it’s a battle of the sexes now.  But Tina and I have boobs on our side, so I think we’ve got it in the bag.  Except Tina told me not to mention boobs as an important factor in this election.”

[Santana](http://media.tumblr.com/1c72f6c9b8bb25658b37b3fb9dcf6d74/tumblr_inline_mqje78gug01qz4rgp.png) smiled at [Brittany](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121202005807/glee/images/8/84/Heather_promoshoot_Glee_4_Temporada.jpg)’s pixellated face on her computer screen.  “You guys will kick their asses.  Trouty and the wangsta against the hottest, most popular girl in the school and Tina Cohen 4.0 GPA? No contest.”

Brittany nodded enthusiastically.  “We totally will.  And I already promised to actually fulfill my duties as president this year instead of ignoring them.  I put it in glitter on my posters.”

“I wish I could’ve helped you make them,” Santana said with a laugh, her smile turning wistful, “hearing you talk about it makes me miss last year, when we ran your campaign together.”

“I miss it, too.  And you’ve been so busy since you started school.”  The corners of Brittany’s mouth turned down a little.  “I know we can’t hug or kiss or have naked cuddles, but I miss just talking to you and seeing you smile like this.”

Santana glanced down at her NYU cheer uniform.  “I know; I’m sorry.  Cheer practice takes up so much time.  If you think Sue is bad, you don’t ever want to meet my new coach.  Less crazy schemes, but even more militant obsession with winning.”

“Do you like it, though?  Have you made any new friends?”

“…not yet,” Santana said with a frown, thinking about her team mates.  They weren’t exactly the sort of people she’d been expecting to meet in New York.

“Well, give them some time, and they’ll get past your Fiero Crochet crusty outside to the soft, gooey center I’ve known for years.”  Brittany looked down at her buzzing phone.  “I gotta go.  Tina wants to discuss wardrobe.  I wonder if she’ll want to talk about Blaine and Rachel, too.”

Santana narrowed her eyes in confusion.  “Wait, what?”

“You know,” Brittany said with a roll of her eyes, “the lion and the witch.”

Santana laughed and told Brittany she’d share the nicknames with Blaine and Rachel, if only to ruffle Berry’s feathers.

***

Santana replayed her conversation with Brittany over and over in her head to keep herself entertained during practice the next day.  She had always been really into the Cheerios, but maybe that was because Quinn and Brittany were on the team with her.  And as a freshman already thought of as a small town hick, she didn’t really relish the idea of trying to fight her way to the top of the social ladder without Brittany’s hand holding hers. 

When [she](http://media.tumblr.com/1c72f6c9b8bb25658b37b3fb9dcf6d74/tumblr_inline_mqje78gug01qz4rgp.png) heard a couple sophomores in the locker room making fun of a fat girl who had tried out for the team, she had a weird sense of déjà vu.  Three years ago, that had been her and Quinn.  Now, though, she didn’t feel like joining in on the ridicule.  She actually felt like going over to them and saying they really shouldn’t talk, since Girl A had gross horse teeth and the evidence of Girl B’s fake tan was painfully obvious along her hairline.  But she figured matching shallow bitchiness with shallow bitchiness wouldn’t accomplish much, so for once she just sighed and held her tongue, closing her locker and walking away.

[Brittany](http://media.tumblr.com/5971b24dd661bbd049d766d4f10cf3c7/tumblr_inline_mjq5o5Kkq61qz4rgp.png) logged on for their Skype session a week later wearing a (brutally hot, Santana couldn’t help but notice) dress and blazer instead of her Cheerio outfit, and Santana shifted uncomfortably in her seat.  The fabric of her own cheer uniform felt kind of itchy.  She tried to ignore it while she listened to Brittany tell her about the campaign progress, but it occurred to her that the cheer uniform just didn’t feel right.

“You don’t have to stay on the squad,” Brittany said with a sympathetic frown when Santana told her about the girls in the locker room and her itchy uniform, “especially if your outfit itches.  The material might be telling you it wants to come off.”

“I know, I know.  But I don’t really know where I belong at NYU, if I’m not with the cheer team.  At least the uniform guarantees I’ll be somewhat accepted.”

“You have Kurt and Blaine and Rachel, right? Don’t they accept the real you?”

Santana shrugged.  She wasn’t really one for the mushy feelings-sharing, unless it was with Brittany.  She sometimes wondered if she’d been too much of a bitch to her room mates in the past to ever really be considered a friend.

“I saw how much it hurt you to pretend to be someone you’re not in junior year,” Brittany said softly, “and how much pain it caused when someone tried to force you to be what they thought you should last year.  I just want you to be happy and free, Santana.”  Santana quirked an eyebrow and gave her a watery smile.  “Oh, except I also want you to deliver a message to the mice trying to come to America that the Statue of Liberty is telling them lies.  I’ve been reading up on it.”

Santana promised she would, and when she and Brittany said good bye, she didn’t walk to the subway, but made her way to the main drama building on campus instead.  She let herself into an empty classroom, a small one that had mirrors all along one of the walls.  She tilted her head and stared at the image of herself in the blue, white, and black uniform.

She had found herself in glee club, not Cheerios, during high school.  And whenever words weren’t enough, whenever she couldn’t figure out what she felt or thought, music seemed to help.

Maybe it could help her [now](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHKMSUKIc9w).

 _“Look at me, you may think you see who I really am,”_ she sang _, “but you’ll never know me.  Every day, it’s as if I play a part.  Now I see if I wear a mask, I can fool the world, but I cannot fool my heart…”_

She paced the room, thinking of Cheerio practices with Brittany, booty camp sessions she only attended to hang out with everyone, glee club rehearsals with all the drama.  Thinking of the joyless cheer practices she had now, her big, anonymous freshman classes.  The uniform looked completely foreign on her body in the mirror.

_“Who is that girl I see staring straight back at me?  Why is my reflection someone I don’t know?”_

She had always thought once she’d made it out of Lima that nothing would hold her back from being herself and being happy.  But maybe she was still scared, still affected by what she saw Kurt go through, the humiliation of Finn outing her…her abuela saying she never wanted to see her again after she told her the truth.

_“Why must we all conceal what we think, how we feel?  Must there be a secret me I’m forced to hide?”_

She belted out the words of the song, lost in the music as tears formed in her eyes.  

_“When will my reflection show who I am inside?”_

***

“You’re not wearing your uniform,” [Brittany](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbe0qoBBZM1qeds6ko1_500.jpg) said.

It was two weeks later, and [Santana](http://lookpurdy.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/lookpurdy-e28093-naya-rivera-e28093-the-academy-of-television-arts-sciences_-screening-of-e28098glee_-2.jpg) had logged on to Skype so she and Brittany could toast to Brittany’s election win.  She took a sip of wine out of Blaine’s champagne flute and smiled.

“Yeah…I quit the team.  I don’t really know where I fit in at NYU yet, but I feel a lot better.”

“I’m proud of you,” Brittany said, grinning, “I could tell it was what you really wanted.”

“You always figure things out before I do,” Santana teased, making Brittany blush and fiddle with the straw in her Tinkerbell goblet.  “Here’s to you, Madame President.  May your wisdom aid you in your role as leader of the student council as much as it aids me in getting my head out of my ass once in a while.”  They clinked their glasses against their computer screens and took another drink.

 

 

It was scary, leaving the safety and stability of the cheer team, the sense of identity it provided.  But Santana figured now was the time to take risks, and to figure herself out.  And with Brittany, she’d always have a place where she belonged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:
> 
> Reflection (Mulan - Christina Aguilera's version) by Santana


	3. A Change

When [Rachel](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb5deeR4qv1qdvevuo4_250.gif) showed up to class the Friday after her first visit to Vogue, the eyes of the girls that had made fun of her bugged out, and she felt a satisfied smirk grace her lips as they hastily tried to bring their faces back to a cool neutral.  

Getting a makeover had been Kurt’s idea, but Rachel was the one who had really run with it.  Over the weekend, she’d gone on a shopping spree, inspired by the pieces Isabelle had given her from the Closet and funded by her dads, and purchased a whole new wardrobe.  She was saying goodbye to Rachel Berry of Lima, Ohio, and saying hello to the new, improved Rachel, New York chic, sexy, mature, confident.  

She sure felt that way when she was the only one left in the classroom after Cassandra had dismissed them (Blaine had to leave quickly to meet up with Mike for coffee) and [Brody](http://beingrachelberry.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/brody-4x03-still.jpeg) wandered in.  He gave her an appraising look and let out a wolf whistle.  She tried not to blush, playing it casual and leaning against the bar.

“Very sexy,” he told her.

Smiling, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.  It had taken her two hours to get ready for class, but this was totally worth it.  ”Thank you.  I figured a new look could help me find myself in New York.”

“Actually, I think the new look is just catching up with who you are,” he said, walking closer.

Rachel ignored that Brody barely knew her, because he had essentially just told her she was sexy inside and out.  ”Well, I’m glad you like it,” she said, turning to pick up her bag.

“Leaving so soon?”

“Class is over,” she said over her shoulder, smiling at the flirty smirk on Brody’s face.

“Well, how about a private lesson?” Brody asked, walking over to the stereo.

“Oh? What do you have to teach me?”

“Well, with your new swagger, I figured you could teach me a thing or two.”

Rachel dropped her bag and put her hand on her hips.  ”You’re on.  The choice is yours, Mr. Weston.”

Brody winked at her and selected a song.

As the [music](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPxa1_ZvtRE) started, Rachel beckoned him over with a crook of her finger, spinning around coyly as he walked towards her.  Her heart pounded in her chest as he grabbed hold of her and they started to dance and Rachel started to sing.

_“Ten years living in a paper bag…”_

It was romantic and erotic, and their voices sounded pretty good together.  She forced herself not to compare him to Jesse or Finn, because in the back of her mind, she knew he’d come up short, at least as far as vocal compatibility went.

_“…a change would do you good…”_

This was what New York was supposed to be about, wasn’t it?  Putting herself out there in new ways, experiencing new, exciting things?  Growing up, shedding her old skin and becoming an independent, strong woman?

_“…would do you good!”_

Brody dropped her into a dip and she threw her head back on the last note, looking back up as they both panted.

“Wh-what are you doing tonight?” Rachel asked.

“No plans,” Brody said, still holding her in the dip.

“Come over tonight.  I want to cook you dinner.”

***

Brody insisted on taking her out for ice cream (she’d try not to think of the poor cows robbed of their milk) before her next class, so after she [changed](http://wornontv.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rachels-black-white-shorts1.jpg) out of her dance attire, they went for a walk off campus.  She found herself awkwardly trying to eat ice cream the way she saw girls do it in movies, all slow and seductive, and they asked an old man passing by to take some photos of them on Brody’s phone.

She had missed this, couple-y activities like this.  It was the kind of glamorous frolicking in New York she had always pictured herself participating in.  She hadn’t heard from Finn in four months, and maybe it was just time to move on.  

Kurt and Blaine had gone out to celebrate the success of Kurt’s music video at Vogue, and Santana was in L.A. with Brittany, so Rachel had the loft to herself for the evening.  She wanted to cook an impressive meal and put aside her vegan sensibilities so she could wow Brody with roasted duck.

Two flare ups and a charred bird later, and [Rachel](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9bq6sXLGO1qeds6ko1_r2_500.jpg) was greeting [Brody](http://media.tumblr.com/f2a672960ef66677138bebb98075dd33/tumblr_inline_mqjeqgCpuv1qz4rgp.png) with a sheepish smile.  They ended up getting pizza, and she didn’t bat an eye when Brody ordered from Dominoes, even though they had no vegan options.

It felt so sophisticated, sharing stories and drinking wine during their candlelit picnic.  Rachel giggled as Brody described his nerdy freshman self, and babbled about a boy from elementary school.

The similarities weren’t lost on her, and she tried not to think of her first date, her first kiss with Finn as she pressed her lips to Brody’s and let him lower her to the floor, her heart racing wildly as she reminded herself she was grown up now.

A loud knocking at the door startled them, and Rachel had to admit she felt a little relieved.

“That must be Kurt and Blaine,” Rachel told Brody, getting up and walking to the door, “but I wonder why they didn’t use their keys.  Guess it’s a good thing, huh?”  Brody chuckled behind her.

She swung the door open with a smile, and her mouth dropped open.

It was as if she had conjured him with her thoughts.  If only it had worked some time over the past four months.

“[Finn](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb5y831wwY1qi0dexo1_400.gif),” she said, watching his smile turn into a frown as his gaze shifted from her to over her shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs:
> 
> A Change Would Do You Good (Sheryl Crow) by Rachel and Brody

**Author's Note:**

> Song Order: The Way You Look Tonight/You're Never Fully Dressed, A Change Would Do You Good, Reflection


End file.
